Thursday, December 15, 2016

Choosing New Books

For many years, I've loved reading suspense/thrillers.  I like that genre of movies, too.

I think that genre of books, has really grown in the last several years.  Probably due to the popularity of books like Gone Girl and Girl on the Train. Amazon gets me nearly every time with their claims of some new book being "the next Gone Girl!" But, Gone Girl's been done.  And the magic of it was in it's fresh twist no one was expecting. But now, we all are just waiting for the twist. So really, there is no next Gone Girl anyway.

The other day I was reading a book a couple of friends had both told me was really good and creepy.  Used to, this was totally my thing: good and creepy. But as I was reading it, I felt like the author had just put some scenes in there for shock value.  It had torture scenes that were just vile and... gross. (And honestly, should probably come with a warning label on the cover of the book!)

Prior to starting this creepy book, I had just finished reading a book that was so beautiful and deeply moving that it made me cry.  In a good way. (I can't yet reveal the title, as I'm giving it to quite a few friends for Christmas--) Due to that stark contrast between the two books, this creepy one was just not doing it for me. 

However, I did have an epiphany.

Words are powerful.
Books are full of words and imagery, and I spend many hours each week with my nose in them.
I'm pretty sure all that stuff is absorbed into my general outlook and mood of the world.
Filling my head with the murder and torture, even if it's thrilling, and even if it's fiction, can't possibly be a good thing.

There is enough negative things in the world.  Why should I be piling on even more of that through the choices I make in what I read?

So although I finished reading that book, I said to myself- no more.
At least not for a while.  And most definitely not as much of it.

So adding to my #goals list for 2017:
Read more books that fill me with good thoughts, less murder and suspense.

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